U.S. Pat. No. 4,959,860 discloses a power-on password security function for a personal computer. A battery-powered RAM storage area is used to hold the password when the system is turned off. However, it does not disclose access by multiple persons.
The ISC UNIX program provides that the password for the system administrator (root) could be entered when logging in as any user. However, this is implemented as part of the login program and is specific to that application.
System administrators or owners often need to act on behalf of end users of the machine, but they do not participate when the users' passwords are set. System administrators have their access to user's systems restricted when a user sets a password. Typically, the system administrator must identify himself to the system as the administrator, then use some roundabout fix; e.g., reset the user password.
What is needed is a simplified method for the administrator or owner to access a computer on behalf of someone else.